It's early June, and while the Pistons don't yet have a coach, they still appear to be dedicated to the "process."

Current Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks, who also coached the Portland Trailblazers and Philadelphia 76ers, has visited with Pistons owner Tom Gores in Los Angeles, which was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Detroit News.

His recent visit to Auburn Hills qualifies as the third interview for Cheeks but it isn't a direct indication of an endorsement from Pistons president Joe Dumars. Nate McMillan, former coach of the Trailblazers and Seattle Sonics, also met with Gores in Los Angeles earlier.

The timing of Cheeks' meeting was a function of his personal schedule.

Maurice Cheeks will be offered an opportunity to lead the Detroit Pistons out of a half-decade's malaise. The Pistons have settled on Cheeks as their top choice to become the franchise's 33rd head coach, according to sources, after he interviewed extensively with both owner Tom Gores and president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Michigan Live